Rain pounds the Bay Area on last day of summer

By Kristin J. Bender

Oakland Tribune

Posted:
09/21/2013 12:15:17 PM PDT

Updated:
09/21/2013 07:53:26 PM PDT

Click photo to enlarge

A large crowd waits under their umbrella's to cross Mount Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette, on their way to the Lafayette Art and Wine Festival in Lafayette, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013. Heavy rains hit the beginning of the festival forcing people to run for cover or pull out their umbrella's. (Dan Rosenstrauch/Bay Area News Group)

A brief but strong rainstorm swept through most of the Bay Area on Saturday morning and early afternoon, canceling youth soccer matches, soaking festivals accustomed to sunshine and snarling traffic on the last day of summer.

Periods of light to moderate rain passed through Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties with some heavy rains on the Peninsula and into the East Bay on Saturday morning, but by late afternoon the clouds made way for sunshine, said National Weather Service forecaster Bob Benjamin.

A large crowd waits under their umbrella's to cross Mount Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette, on their way to the Lafayette Art and Wine Festival in Lafayette, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013. Heavy rains hit the beginning of the festival forcing people to run for cover or pull out their umbrella's. (Dan Rosenstrauch/Bay Area News Group)
(
DAN ROSENSTRAUCH
)

At the O.co Coliseum in Oakland, where the A's played the Minnesota Twins in a potential division-clinching game, a protective tarp kept the field somewhat dry, but a torrent of rain flooded both teams' dugouts. Inside the stadium, rain caused a sewage leak in a bathroom behind the coaches' office, said David Rinetti, A's vice president of stadium operations. Reports on Twitter say sewage was flowing from faucets in that bathroom, and players from both teams spent the rain delay sending out humorous tweets about the predicament.

Shortly before 1 p.m., a severe traffic alert was issued for eastbound lanes on the San Mateo Bridge after a crash that blocked the two left lanes. Motorists were advised to expect delays and avoid the area.

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In the South Bay, Bark in the Park, a popular event for dog lovers in the historic neighborhood of Naglee Park, was rained out.

The National Weather Service reported record rainfall totals in various cities: Oakland airport recorded 0.61 inches, San Jose airport got 0.66 inches, San Francisco airport saw 0.23 inches, Moffett Field saw 0.49 inches and the San Rafael Civic Center recorded 0.57 inches.

About 1.18 inches of rain fell on the summit of Mount Diablo, according to the weather service.

and Mill Valley recorded 1.43 inches, the highest total in the Bay Area.

In the East Bay, rain pounded a small contingent of die-hards who arrived early to the Walnut Festival in Walnut Creek and the Lafayette Art and Wine Festival, which normally are treated to hot weather.

Sunday -- the first official day of fall -- is expected to be dry. "Tomorrow will be mostly a nice, clear day," Benjamin said.

The forecaster said to expect early morning temperatures in the mid-50s in San Francisco with temperatures outside of the city in the upper 40s and lower 50s and mostly sunny skies for the remainder of the week.